The present invention relates to a retainer for maintaining cylindrical rollers in proper spaced relationship between an epitrochoidal-like shaped and a hypotrochoidal-like shaped conjugate set of races in an epicyclic speed reducing transmission of the kind described in the above-mentioned Ser. No. 362,195 application.
Good positional control of rollers held between epitrochoidal-like shaped and hypotrochoidal-like shaped races in an epicyclic speed reducing transmission is essential to obtain optimum performance. Accordingly, it is essential that the axial and radial positioning of the rollers be accurately controlled by a retainer as the epicyclic speed reducing transmission is operated. In addition, the structure of the retainer should not limit the design of the races so that the races can be designed to achieve optimum performance of the transmission.
It is also desirable that the retainer used for maintaining proper positional control of the cylindrical rollers be constructed to allow confronting lobes on the epitrochoidal-like shaped and the hypotrochoidal-like shaped races to nearly touch at the point of closest approach. Such a lobe design of the races allows the cylindrical rollers to transfer maximum possible torque between the races. Accordingly, the retainer construction preferably should allow the use of relatively small, solid, rather than relatively large, hollow, cylindrical rollers so that the size of the cylindrical rollers can be minimized. Solid rollers are also more economical to produce than are hollow rollers. In addition, the retainer preferably should not contact any substantial part of the driving and driven surfaces of the races.